Goodwood Revival special

QueensOfVintage.com editor Lena went along to this year’s Goodwood Revival to be a guest judge at the launch event of Vintage at Goodwood, a new exciting vintage event which looks like it could be one of the highlights of 2010.

Nestled in the middle of the vast grounds at the Goodwood Revival, between the race track, car displays and the shopping area is the Vintage at Goodwood spot. Here you will find the Emporium, home to both a vintage shop crammed full with fabulous vintage clothes and accessories provided by London shop Vintage Secret, and retro coiffeur Nina’s Hair Parlour. Next to it is a large performance area where a whole range of artists from burlesque dancers, ukulele players, jazz bands and rock’n’roll DJs are performing.

This is a taster of things to come at 2010’s new event, Vintage at Goodwood. The brainchild of designers Wayne and Gerardine Hemmingway and Lord March, Vintage at Goodwood will be a celebration of five decades of British design, style and cool. Taking place next year, 13 to 15 August 2010, this year’s launch has been a glimpse of what the future event will look like.

“We’ve always loved vintage”, explains designer Gerardine Hemmingway, “we started out selling vintage, or second-hand as it was called back then, at Camden Market.” A few years ago the designer couple got involved in the ecclectic Land of Lost Content, a museum with a huge collection of British popular items and Twentieth Century memorabilia. This provided them not only with an archive full of vintage images and artifacts, but also fuelled their passion to set up a vintage event.

As Gerardine points out: “Going to music festivals is great, but we really felt we should set up one that only focuses on vintage and would bring together bands, fashion, design and performers.” This is when the designers talked to Goodwood initiator Lord March (pictured left, with Gerardine and Wayne) and convinced him to host the festival on his grounds. A dedicated follower of fashion himself, he was keen to get the ball rolling.

So what can we expect next year? Mirroring a small town complete with village green, Vintage at Goodwood will consist of various streets, one for each of the five decades. Each street will home vintage shops, cafes, bars and music venues. A hairdresser and cinema are also planned. For those wishing to stay all three days there will be different levels of camping from ultra-lux accommodation to staying over in vintage camper vans.

Given the Hemmingway’s obvious passion for vintage and knowing the experts they have started to bring on board, Katherine Higgins from the Antiques Roadshow for starters, Vintage at Goodwood could indeed be Britain’s vintage event of the year.